Spring for doors, gates, and the like



June 7, 1932. H. A. STEVENS I 1,861,888

SPRING FOR DOORS, GATES, AND THE LIKE e. ,roh 1931 fT-uQ. StevensPatented June 7, 1932 PATENT OFFICE HERBERT ALFRED STEVENS, OI LONDON,ENGLAND SPRING r03 noons, GATES, AND THE LIKE Application filed March 3,1931, Serial No. 519,829, and in Great Britain March 25, 1930.

This invention relates to springs for doors,

gates and the like of the kind adapted to be secured to two pivotallyconnected members, such, for instance, as a door and that side of L thecorresponding door frame to which said door is pivoted, for the purposeof influencing one of said members to assume a predetermined positionrelative to the other.

The invention has for its object to provide a spring which operates moreefficiently than those of the usual type, and which may be fitted to thedoor or the like so that the latter may be quite free from externalfittings and protuberances.

Y A spring of the kind referred to according to the present inventioncomprises a substantially straight resilient rod or strip adapted to beattached at one point to the one memher and at another point to theother member, so both of said points being on or adjacent to the axisabout which the members are pivotally united, so as to. create a torsionstress in the rod or strip when the device is in operation. The rod orstrip may be secured to the 5 one member at a plurality of points spacedalong the length of said rod or strip, the latter being also secured tothe other member at a point or points disposed intermediately of thepoints of attachment of said rod or strip to the one member.

Thus, if desired, the rod or strip may be secured at both its ends tothe one member and at a point substantially midway of its length to. theother member.

In some cases the rod or strip may be contained within a casing, towhich latter said rod or strip is secured at one point, said rod orstrip being secured at the other point to a guide mounted for rotationrelative to said casing, and the arrangement being such that the casingis adapted to be secured to the one member and the rotatable guide tothe other of. said members.

Further, the rod or strip may be of laminated formation, the stripscomprising the laminations being preferably spaced by sheet rubber orlike material, while the rod or strip as a whole may also be enclosed ina sheathing of rubber or like material.

For use in connection with spring-up seats,

a tubular casing for the rod or strip may be incorporated into avsupporting framework, one or more radial arms or brackets being securedto the rotating guide or guides, and said members being adapted to carryor support the seat portion, angular motion being permitted bycircumferential slots formed in the tubular casing.

The invention is illustrated in the accom panymg drawing, in whichFigure 1 shows a door closing device in side elevation, i

Figures 2 and 3 show tov a reduced scale the device according to Figure1 mounted in position upon a door, the latter being in its closed andopen positions, respectively;

Figure 4 shows in plan a modified method of mounting the deviceaccording to Figure 1;

Figure 5 shows a device for use in connection with spring-up seats, and

Figure 6 shows in a section a modified form of resilient strip. I

The form of device according to the invention illustrated in Figures 1,2, 3 and 4, comprises two strips 10 and 11 of tempered steel or otherspringy material secured to a common bearing plate or bracket 12, intowhich they are slotted, as indicated by the dotted lines, and secured bymeans of rivets 13. The free ends of the strips 10 and 11 are secured ina similar manner to plates 14 and 15, respectively.

The plates 12, 14 and 15 are each formed with screw holes 16, preferablycountersunk, for securing the device in position between the edge 17 ofa door 18 and the corresponding inner surface 19 of a door post 20, theplates 14 and 15 being mounted upon the door post 20 and the plate 12upon the door 18. If desired the plate 12 may be countersunk onbothsides so that it may be detached from the door 18 and secured in aninoperative position on the door post 20.

It will be seen from Figure 2 that when the door 18 is in its closedposition, the strips 10 and 11 are flat or plane, and are completelyconcealed within the thickness of the door, whilst, as shown in Figure3, when the door 18 is opened, the plate 12 is rotated relatively to theplates 14 and 15, so applying a torsion stress to the strips and 11.These latter of course, tend to assume the flat or plane Condition, andin doing so the door 18 is caused to close. As the rod or strip isdisposed substantially parallel with the pivotal axis of the door thestresses induced in the strips 10, 11 are approximatelypure shear andtherefore the material composing saidstrips 10, .11 is used to the bestadvantage and the maximum stresses may be kept comparatively low'.

In order to protect the strips "lO- and. 11 from damage and corrosion,an outer sheathing 21 of rubber is provided.

If desired, the edge 17 of the door may be inclined to the surface 19 ofthe door post, as shown in Figure 4,.so that alslight closing-torsion isapplied to the strips 10(and11' even when the door 18 :iscompletelyclosed. This effect may also be obtained by setting thestrips 10 and 11with-aninitialtwist, or byzforming the plates 12,14:- and so that theplate 12 is disposed at a small angleto the plates 14 and 15 before thedevice is mounted vin position on a door. or the like. Such a device maybe-securedtoadoor of the usual-kind so that asmall closing force isexerted even when the door is-in its closed position, while by reversingthe device rend for'end, it may be arranged sothat'the device exerts areverse .torque when thedooris in its closed position, .thus.tendingtorreduce the impactwhen the door is slammed. In the case offdoors andgates which swing-both ways, the device mnstbe'formedand adjusted so asto allow said doors orgates to close in true alignment.

Figure 5 shows the application of the device to spring-up seats, suchasare used in theatres and the like, the strips 10 and 11 being. enclosedwithin a tubular casin g 22, which is preferably incorporated into orattached to the-supporting framework (not shown). The adjacent ends ofthe strips 10 and 11 are secured to a block23 secured within'th'e casing2, substantially atthe-middle vthereof by means of a screw 24, whilethe. outer ends of said strips 10 and 11 are mountedinto cylindricalblocks 25 and26, respectively, each rotatable within the casing 22.Brackets 27, 28 are attached to the seat (not shown) and are securelyfastened to the-blocks 25,26, respectively, angular movementof thebrackets 27,728 about the axis of the tubular casing22 being permittedby circumferential slots 29, 30, respectively, -formed in said casing.

Th device may be constructed so that brackets 27, 28 are adapted tosupport a single seat or form, thusbringing the strips .10 and 11 intooperation simultaneously, 1 or separate seats may be secured to saidbrackets 27, 28, in which case the strips 10 and 11 may be usedindependently ofone another. If desired, the seats may bevadapted to.extend back to back, the slots 29, .30 being formed in oppositedirections, While the seat portions may be pivotally mountedindependently of the device, the brackets 27, 28 of the latter beingprovided with rollers (not shown) at their outer ends for engagementwith slides or runners upon the under portion of said seat or seats.

The form of device substantially as shown in' Figure 5 is suitable foruse in connection with garden gates, and for other purposes whereclimatic exposure is inevitable, as the strips;lO i and .11 may becompletely protected both from accidental damage and from corros ion.WVhen one resilient member is used this may be connected atthe one endto the casingwhich latter is adapted to form one fixing member, theother end of the resilient member being adapted to work through a slotorthrough the endof said casing.

' It willbe observedthat onestrip maybe employedlina device accordingtothe invention the upper end being fastened, for instance,.to the doorframe or gate post and the lower end to the door 'or gate, oralternatively, the device may be formed inany numberiof sections,alternatefixingplates or points ofxattachment being secured .to the doorpost and the intermediate ones to the door frameor gateipost,

The rod or stripmaybe formed inanysuitable manner, but as comparativelythin strips may T be tempered much more readily and successfullythanthicker rods,,.it is desirable, when a strong-torsionmemberisrequired,athat-a compositememberbe built up of aplurality ofstrips,-as shown in Figure 6,,in whichthe centre-strips:31 are widerthan the outerstrips 32, eachofsaid strips being separated from theadjacent strips byimeans of sheetrubber or thelike 33, and the WllOlBbeingprlotectediby means ofan. outer sheath ingi34 of ruhberor othersuitable, material.

In devices according to.theinvention,.any suitableform of fixingmeansmaybe utilized for-securingthe rod .or .strip, or theqlatter may besecured directly to, or formed with, agate, seat or.the.like.; Thus,.for'instance, the .rod or strip maybe secured'by suitably shapedcollars, themselves attached to the pivoted members, the rod or-stripbeingadjustably. secured within or upon said collars by means of setscrews or the equivalent, while,=if desired, slotsmay be provided in thecasing, rod or strip for preventing longitudinal tension or compressionstresses as the rod or strip is twisted or untwisted, or ball or otherthrust bearings may be em ployed.

What I claim is LA torsion spring for application to a swinging elementand its support comprising thin resilient. strips arranged end to end,anvattaching plate secured to the adjacent ends ofthe strips, andsimilar attaching plates secured .to the-.opposite-ends of the strips.

2. A torsion sprin for application to a swinging element an its supportcomprising thin resilient strips arranged end to end, an attaching platesecured to the adjacent ends of the strips, similar attaching platessecured to the opposite ends of the strips, and an elastic sheathingaround the strips.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name.

HERBERT ALFRED STEVENS.

